Police: Lacey Liquors Owner Chases Shoplifter Across Route 9

Lacey Township Police arrested a Seaside Heights male after the owner of Lacey Liquors chased the suspect who allegedly shoplifted from the store, police said.

David Bolden, 47, was arrested at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16 after Lacey Liquors alerted the police of a shoplifter who fled the store.

Bolden allegedly stole seven 750 mL bottles of Ciroc Vodka in assorted varieties valued at $300. The owner of Lacey Liquors chased the shoplifter across Route 9 to the Lacey Mall’s parking lot.

During the chase, four bottles of alcohol were dropped in the liquor store’s parking lot, two were dropped and shattered on Route 9 and the remaining bottle was found hidden in a nearby dumpster.

Juveniles who offered to monitor the shoplifter’s whereabouts aided the store’s owner, police said.

Police caught Bolden running south on Route 9. He was arrested and charged with shoplifting and sent to the Ocean County Jail with bail set at $20,000.

The investigation is ongoing as police suspect Bolden victimized Lacey Liquors on prior occasions.

The NJ Department of Corrections website notes that Bolden was arrested five times since 2001; four of which were for shoplifting (three in Monmouth County and one in Ocean County) and the other for conspiracy and theft in Monmouth County. His incarceration history includes a period of 17 months.

Shoplifters have targeted Lacey Liquors in the past. For more information on past incidents unrelated to Bolden, read “”